You&#039;re Not Alonehttp://charlestonmag.com/term/1286/all
enJune 6: Mavis Stapleshttp://charlestonmag.com/content/june_6_mavis_staples
<div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-18 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">TAGS:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/spoleto_festival_usa">Spoleto Festival USA</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/mavis_staples">Mavis Staples</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/jeff_tweedy">Jeff Tweedy</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/youre_not_alone">You&#039;re Not Alone</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/levon_helm">Levon Helm</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-main-photo field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://charlestonmag.com/sites/default/files/styles/470xwide/public/Mavis%20Staples_Photo%20by%20Chris%20Strong_resized.jpg?itok=n0m_3pD4" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-subhead field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>
The legendary R&amp;B, soul, and gospel singer brought it to the Gaillard with a depth of expereience, energy, and soul</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-cmag-blog-category field-type-list-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Spoleto</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-style-blog-author field-type-list-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Guest Blogger</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>
&nbsp;</p>
<p>
<em>Written by Stanfield Gray</em></p>
<p>
<em>Photograph by Chris Strong</em></p>
<p>
Mercy, can she still bring it. In her 62nd&nbsp;year as a performer, <strong>Mavis Staples turned the Gaillard Auditorium into a revival last night</strong>, conjuring the ghosts of her father, Roebuck &ldquo;Pops&rdquo; Staples, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Holy Spirit.</p>
<p>
As a member of the &ldquo;congregation,&rdquo; I was deeply moved by the <strong>depth of experience, energy, and soul</strong> Ms. Staples brought to each number. Highlights included <strong>&ldquo;Why Am I Treated So Bad,&rdquo;</strong> written in honor of the Little Rock Nine, and <strong>&ldquo;March Up Freedom&rsquo;s Highway,&rdquo;</strong> composed in tribute to the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery marches by Pops while travelling with MLK.</p>
<p>
Banter between songs included a call for the best shrimp and grits in town;<strong> nods to Jeff Tweedy of Wilco,</strong> who produced her Grammy-winning collection&nbsp;<em>You&rsquo;re Not Alone;</em>&nbsp;and <strong>a literal cry out for &ldquo;Levon!&rdquo; in honor of the late Levon Helm.</strong>&nbsp;Naturally, Staples followed by performing<strong> &ldquo;The Weight,&rdquo;</strong> a classic by The Band.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;He&rsquo;s not with us tonight,&rdquo; said Staples, &ldquo;but he&rsquo;s not far away &ndash; we&rsquo;ll see him in the sweet bye and bye.&rdquo;</p>
<p>
The barebones ensemble included the fantastic <strong>Rick Holmstrom on guitar, who performed with both tasteful restraint and melodic power</strong>, as needed; <strong>dynamic timekeeper, Stephen Hodges, on drums</strong>; and, the <strong>solid bass accompaniment of Jeff Turmes</strong>, who served the crowd <strong>a delicious helping of &ldquo;Summertime&rdquo; as an instrumental on slide guitar.</strong> Back up singers included Staples&rsquo; marvelous 76 year-old sister Yvonne, the amazing Donny Gerrard, and high-energy vocalist of&nbsp;<em>The Tonight Show Band</em>, Vicki Randle.</p>
<p>
Staples let us know that Charleston made her feel &ldquo;awfully special&rdquo; and was a beautiful town full of beautiful people. She also made it clear that she did not appreciate those who disrespect the President by doubting he&#39;s a legal resident. &ldquo;I ain&rsquo;t never going back to the back of bus,&rdquo; testified Ms. Staples, a declaration we accepted as Gospel.</p>
<p>
Amen.</p>
</div></div></div>Thu, 07 Jun 2012 14:54:23 +0000Darcy Shankland15560 at http://charlestonmag.com